Outboard motor tilting mechanism

ABSTRACT

HYDRAULIC PISTON AND CYLINDER MEANS (OR POWER OPERABLE SCREW AND NUT MEANS) PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT OPPOSITE ENDS BETWEEN THE TRANSOM OF THE BOAT AND AN OUTBOARD ENGINE THAT IS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE TRANSOM, USUALLY ONLY FOR ANGLE ADJUSTMENT TO A FIXED SETTING, IS TILTABLY ADJUSTABLE QUICKLY BY POWER IN EITHER DIRECTION TO A DESIRED   ANGLE USUALLY FOR &#34;TRIMMING&#34; THE ENGINE BUT OCASSIONALLY FOR DOCKING OR BEACHING A BOAT IN SHALLOW WATER OR TO ENABLE OPERATING SAFETY AT LESS USUAL DEPTH THROUGH A WEED BED.

Feb. 26, 1974 0. METTVETAL, JR

OUTBOARD MQTOR TILTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 14, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet l f/Gl f/GZ

INVENTOR. DOW/MD METTETAL JR Feb. 26, 1974 METTETA JR Re. 27,932

OUTBOARD MOTOR TILTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 14, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR & EZM/AZE MfYTEMZ JR BY l] TTO/QNEL Feb. 26,1974 1" JR Re. 27,932

OUTBOARD MOTOR TILTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed July14, 1958 INVENTOR. fiflWAZE METTEZAZ JR A T TOPN //7, BY 44, I 3 06 Feb.26, 1974 D. METTETAL, JR 27,932

OUTBOARD MOTOR TILTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed July14, 1958 INVENTOR. EUWAlD METTETAZ JR M ATTORNE 1974 D. METTETAL, JR

OUTBOARD MOTOR TILTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed July14, 1958 zzvmvroza. fill/W410 METTE ML JR BY 3 2 ATTORA/E nited StatesPatent Ofice Re. 27,932 Reissued Feb. 26, 1974 27,932 OUTBOARD MOTORTILTING MECHANISM Donald R. Metteta], Jr., Livonia, Mich., assignor toAndrew F. Wintercorn, trustee, Rockford, Ill. Original No. 3,406,652,dated Oct. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 748,363, July 14, 1958. Application forreissue Oct. 1, 1969, Ser. No. 33,539

(Filed under Rule 47(b) and 35 U.S.C. 118) Int. Cl. B63h 5/12 US. Cl.115-41 HT 31 Claims Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Hydraulic piston and cylinder means (or poweroperable screw and nut means) pivotally connected at opposite endsbetween the transom f the boat and an outboard engine that is pivotallymounted on the transom, usually only for angle adjustment to a fixedsetting, is tiltably adjustable quickly by power in either direction toa desired angle usually for "trimming the engine but occasionally fordocking or benching a boat in shallow water or to enable operatingsafely at less than usual depth through a weed bed.

This invention relates to power-operated mechanisms for tilting outboardmotors, there being a real need for such mechanisms when:

(1) Docking or beaching a boat in shallow water, where slow andlaborious rowing would otherwise be necessary, unless the user iswilling to run the risk of damaging the propeller or doing even costlierdamage to the engine;

(2) Operating a boat through a weed bed, where operation at the normaldepth might foul the propeller and place severe overload strains on theengine;

(3) Peak performance requires trimming the engine by tilting it exactlyto the most eflicient angle of operation relative to the transom, aswhen weight is so distributed in the boat that the existing angle makesfor poor speed and improper ride and is wasteful of power;

(4) Operating a boat with any of the larger and heavier high-poweredoutboard motors that are too difficult to handle manually, and

(5) Transporting a boat with the outboard motor on it, the tiltingmechanism serves to raise the engine to an extreme position and hold itthere where there is no danger of its striking anything in transit.

I am aware that many existing outboard motors and many more that will besold without such equipment require tilting mechanisms, and it is,therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide tiltingmechanisms designed for application substantially universally to theseexisting units, regardless of make or model, each tilting mechanismincluding a bracket to be attached to the engine, another bracket to bemounted on the outside of the transom of the boat, and power operablepush-up and pull-down means to be pivotally connected at one end to theengine bracket and pivotally connected at the other end to the transombracket.

The motor tilting mechanisms of my invention are preferablyhydraulically operated, although a mechanical screw and nut form is alsocontemplated and herein disclosed. Said mechanisms are also preferablyremotely controllable, so that the engine tilting can be accomplishedwithout leaving the steering wheel or having to make an awkward reachfrom that position. Also, said mechanisms preferably include a shear pinfor automatically disconnecting the push-up pull-down means from thetransom bracket in the event of the rudder portion of the enginestriking a heavy object or obstruction in the water, allowing virtuallythe same freedom of upward swinging movement of the engine under suchcircumstances as all existing outboard motors, in order to avoid seriousdamage to the engine or the boat, or both. Also, as a further safetyfeature, a mercury switch is provided that is tilted with the engine andis connected in the ignition circuit, so as to stop the engineautomatically in the event the tilting is carried far enough so that thepropeller is raised out of the water, thus preventing harmful running ofthe engine without load and without water coolant.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, in whichFIGS. 1 and 2 are a side view and rear view, respectively, of anoutboard motor equipped with a tilting mechanism made in accordance withmy invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view illustrating in dotted lines theautomatic disconnection of the push-up pulldown means from the transombracket by shearing of a pin in the event the rudder strikes a heavyenough obstruction;

FIG. 4 is a combination hydraulic and electrical circuit diagram for thetilting mecanism shown in FIGSJ to 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a simpler andmore economical construction;

FIG. 7 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 showing a mechanicalscrew and nut type of tilting mechanism in lieu of the hydraulic typeshown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and

FIG. 10 is an electrical circuit diagram for the tilting mechanism ofFIGS. 8 and 9.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughoutthe views.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 4, the outboard motor, indicated generallyby the reference numeral 11, is of a conventional type including asupporting bracket 12 with the usual clamping means for applicationthereof to the transom 13 on the rear end of the boat, and on thisbrackct is provided the horizontal pivot pin 14 with respect to whichthe engine is tiltable, as indicated in dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 3.The vertical standard 15 of the engine is pivoted at 14, and in theconventional outboard motor there is usually an adjustable stop providedon the supporting bracket 12, to limit the forward swing of the engine,and the operator can set this stop to suit the requirements of theparticular boat on which the motor is mounted, according to the angle ofthe transom with respect to a vertical, and, of course, the engine isswingable about a vertical axis on this standard 15 by means of thetiller (not shown) to steer the boat by angling the rudder 16 anddirecting the thrust of the propeller 17 accordingly with respect to thesterm of the boat. The tilting mechanism of my invention, indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 18, involves only the addition of abracket 19 rigidly secured to the standard 15 by U-bolts 20, anotherbracket 21 mounted on the transom of the boat either by fasteningdirectly to the transom or by connection with the engine supportingbracket 12, as indicated by the upward extension 22 on the middle of thebracket 21, the upper end of which is pinned, or otherwise suitablysecured, to the lower end of the bracket 12, as indicated at 23, and apair of hydraulic cylinders 24 pivotally connected at their lower endsby shear pins 25 to the opposite ends of the transom bracket 21 andhaving pistons 26 reciprocable therein, the upper ends of which arepivotally connected, as at 27, to the outer ends of outwardly andrearwardly reaching arms 28 provided on the opposite ends of theengine-attached bracket 19. Obviously, when oil or other liquid isdelivered under pressure to the lower ends of the cylinders 24 through atube 29 and interconnecting tube 30 (FIG. 4) and oil or other liquid isat the same time discharged from the upper end of the cylinders througha tube 31 and interconnecting tube 32, the engine is pushed upwardly,and when the direction of flow of the oil or other liquid is reversed,being supplied through tube 31 and discharged through tube 29, theengine is pulled down again. Of course, the engine will be held in anyadjusted position when the flow of oil or other liquid is stopped. Inthat way it is possible to trim the engine to a nicety, securing byinfinite adjustment one way or the other the precise angle of the enginewith respect to the transom that will make the boat plane," regardlessof any given weight distribution, which might otherwise throw the engineconsiderably olf angle, resulting in poor speed and improper ride andwasted power. The rigid tie-up of the engine with the transom resultingfrom the application of the tilting mechanism is never disadvantageous,not even in the event of the rudder striking a submerged log, asindicated at 33 in FIG. 3, or any other obstruction, because if thatoccurs when the boat is traveling at a moderately high speed the pins 25will shear, as indicated by the dotted line disconnected position of thecylinder 24 in FIG. 3, allowing the engine to swing upwardly to clear alog or other obstruction in the same way as with a conventional outboardmotor.

In FIG. 4 I have shown an electric motor 34, the armature shaft of whichis drivingly connected with a pump 35 having a suction pipe 36 extendinginto the sump 37 and having a discharge pipe 38 connected to the two-wayvalve 39, the pipe 38 including a check valve 40, which seatsautomatically toward the pump to prevent back flow when the pump 35stops. The tubes 29 and 31 previously mentioned are connected with thevalve 39 in the manner shown and the direction of flow of the oil orother liquid through these tubes depends upon the position of theplunger 31. When this plunger is in one extreme position, the fluid isdischarged through tube 29 and returned through tube 31, and vice versain the other extreme position. The fluid returned to the valve 39 isconducted through pipes 42 back to the sump 37. The plunger 41 of thevalve 39 is adapted to shifted in response to the movement of a manualcontrol lever 43, which is electrically connected with a battery 44 andmay be thrown to the right to engage contact 45 for upward swinging ofthe engine or to the left to engage contact 46 for downward swinging ofthe engine. Thus, when the lever 43 engages contact 45 for upwardmovement, solenoid coils 47 and 48 are energized closing the relay 49 tostart the motor 34 and at the same time shifting the valve plunger 41downwardly for delivery of fluid through tube 29 to the lower ends ofthe cylinders 24 and discharge of fluid from the upper ends through tube31. In the event the operator keeps the lever 43 engaged with contact 45too long, a mercury switch 49', that is included in series in thecircuit with the engine ignition, as indicated at 50, and tilts with theengine will automatically break the circuit to stop the engine andthereby eliminate the danger of harm to the engine running without loadand without water coolant. On the other hand, if extreme tilting of theengine is desired, as when it is to be transported with the boat andshould occupy an extreme horizontal position for safety in transit, thelever 43 may be engaged with an auxiliary contact 51 which shunts outthe mercury switch 49. For downward movement, the lever 43 engagescontact 46 and energizes coils 52 and 53, causing upward shifting of thevalve plunger 41 simultaneously with closing of the relay 54. Wheneverthe lever 43 is returned to neutral position, the motor 34 stops and thevalve plunger 41 returns to the mid-position under action of whicheverone of the return springs 55 has been compressed.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, the outboard motor 11 is similarly mounted onthe transom 13' of a boat by means of a supporting bracket 12', and thestandard 15' in this case, relative to which the engine is oscillated ona vertical axis in steering the boat, carries a bracket 19' suitablyclamped thereon, as indicated at 20', the latter bracket having only oneoutwardly, rearwardly and upwardly reaching arm 28' provided thereon forpivotal connection at 27 with a single piston 26' in the simpler andmore economical tilting mechanism illustrated at 18. The cylinder 24, inwhich the piston 26' operates, is pivoted at its lower end, as at 25',on a shear pin mounted on a bracket 21' suitably secured to the transom,as by means of a clamp 56, similar to the usual clamp, on the bracket12'. The flexible tubes 29' and 31' extending from the opposite ends ofthe cylinder 24' connect with a valve 39, similarly as in the mechanismof FIGS. 1 to 4, for delivery of oil under pressure to either end of thecylinder 24 and return of oil from the other end to the sump, the unitindicated at 57 containing the motor 34, pump 35, sump 37, and valve 39,as well as the relays 49 and 54 previously decribed, so that all that isneeded to enable remote control from the driver's seat behind thesteering wheel 58, where the control lever 43 is suitably mounted on theinstrument board 59, are the wires 60 extending from the contacts 45,46, and 51 to the solenoids 47 and 52, and 48 and 53. The operation ofthis tilting mechanism 18 is, therefore, substantially the same astilting mechanism 18, but, of course, it goes without saying that withthe symmetrical arrangement of the cylinders 24 with respect to theverical center-line a-b of the engine, indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4, andwith the equalized pressure active on the two pistons as a result of theinterconnection of the cylinders shown at 30 and 32, the push-up andpull-down operation is much smoother than is possible where only asingle piston and cylinder type push and pull operating means isemployed. In actual practice the mechanism 18' is, for this reason,installed as closely as possible to the vertical center-line a'-b' ofthe engine, the bracket 19' applied to the standard 15' being laterallyadjustable with respect to said standard with that thought in mind,allowing only sufficient operating clearance with respect to the arm 28'for the full range of oscillation of the engine for steering purposes.

The outboard motor 11" shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 is similarly mounted onthe transom 13" of a boat by means of a supporting bracket 12", and thestandard 15" in this case, relative to which the engine is oscillated ona vertical axis in starting the boat, carries a bracket 19" suitablyclamped thereon, as indicated at 20', the latter bracket having only oneoutwardly, rearwardly and upwardly reaching arm 28" provided thereon forpivotal connection at 27 with a housing 61 from which extends screw 26"threading in internal threads in a tube 24", the interthreaded parts 24"and 26" being substituted in this tilting mechanism 18" for the cylinderand piston of the hydraulic mechanisms 18 and 18". The housing 61contains an intermeshing worm and gear for drivingly connecting aflexible drive shaft in the flexible conduit 62 with the upper end ofthe screw 26", the drive shaft with its conduit extending from thehousing 61 over the transom of the boat to and being drivingly connectedwith the reversible electric drive motor 34" carried in the boat. Inthis case the control lever 43" for remote control of the engine tilt iselectrically connected along with its contacts 45', 46", and 51" withthe battery 44" and the solenoid coils 63 and 63' of the relays 64 and64', so that when the lever 43" is moved into engagement with contact45", the screw 26 is turned in one direction for push-up tilting of theengine, and when the lever 43" is moved in the other direction to engagecontact 46", the motor 34" operates in the opposite direction to drivethe screw 26" accordingly in the reverse direction for pull-downswinging movement of the engine. The shear pin 25" pivotally connectingthe lower end of the tube 24" to the transom bracket 21" is, of course,adapted to shear in the event the rudder 16" strikes an obstruction,thereby permitting the engine to swing upwardly to clear the obstructionwithout damage to the engine or boat, or both. Here again, when theengine is tilted upwardly, a mercury switch 49" included in the engineignition circuit, as indicated at 50", serves to stop the engineautomatically when the propeller is removed from the water, so that theengine is not apt to be harmed by high speed operation without load andwithout water coolant, it being, however, possible to obtain full tiltby engaging lever 43 with contact 51", as when the engine is to betransported in a horizontal position with the boat for safety intransit. The operation of this form is closely similar to that shown inFIGS. 5 to 7, and, here again, it should be obvious that the closer theunit 18 can be located with respect to the vertical center-line a"-b" ofthe engine, the better, and for that reason the bracket 19" is purposelymade adjustable laterally with respect to the standard to permit asclose positioning of the arm 28" with respect to the lower portion ofthe engine as possible, without interfering with the full range ofoscillation of the engine for steering purposes.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A power tiltable outboard engine for boats, comprising a supportingbracket detachably attachable to the transom of a boat, a verticalstandard pivoted at its upper end of said bracket on a horizontal axis,a housing disposed vertically adjacent said standard and oscillatable ona vertical axis with respect thereto carrying an engine on its upper endand a propeller driven by said engine on its lower end, an upper bracketdetachably secured to said standard and having a rearwardly extendingarm rigid therewith, a lower bracket fixed with respect to the boat anddetachably secured to and extending downwardly from said supportingbracket, telescoping elongated pushpull members, one of which is pivotedat one end to said lower bracket and the other of which is pivoted atits other end to said arm on said upper bracket, and manually controlledpower operable means connected for one extension and return of saidtelescoping members relative to one another incident to the tiltingadjustment of said engine and propeller housing.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of the pivotalconnections for said telescoping members comprises a shear pin, theshearing of which incident to an overload allows the engine andpropeller housing to swing freely with the standard on a horizontal axisrelative to the supporting bracket.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the telescoping push-pullmembers include a screw element threaded in a nut element, and saidpower-operable means is connected to turn one of said elements relativeto the other selectively in either direction.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the telescoping push-pullmembers include a piston reciprocable in a cylinder under fluidpressure, aud said power-operable means is connected to deliver fluidunder pressure selectively to either end of said cylinder.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the telescoping push-pullmembers include a piston reciprocable in a cylinder under liquidpressure, and said poweroperable means is connected to deliver liquidunder pressure selectively to either end of said cylinder while drainingliquid from the other end.

6. A power tiltable outboard engine for boats, comprising a supportingbracket detachably attachable to the transom of a boat, a verticalstandard pivoted at its upper end on said bracket on a horizontal axis,a housing disposed vertically adjacent said standard and oscillatable ona vertical axis with respect thereto carrying an engine on its upper endand a propeller driven by said engine on its lower end, an upper bracketdetachably secured to said standard having two rearwardly extending armsrigid with the opposite ends thereof, a lower bracket fixed with respectto the transom of the boat and detachably secured to and extendingdownwardly from said supporting bracket, pairs of telescoping elongatedpush-pull members extending between said arms and the lower bracket inequally spaced relation on opposite sides of said engine and propellerhousing, one of each pair being pivoted at one end to said lower bracketand the other of each pair being pivoted at the other end to theadjacent arm on said upper bracket, and manually controlledpower-operable means connected for the extension and return of saidtelescoping members rclative to one another incident to the tiltingadjustment of said engine and propeller housing.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein one of the pivotalconnections for each pair of telescoping members comprises a shear pin,the shearing of which incident to an overload allows the engine andpropeller housing to swing freely with the standard on a horizontal axisrelative to the supporting bracket.

8. A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein each pair of telescopingpush-pull members includes a screw element threaded in a nut element,and said power-operable means is connected to turn one of said elementsrelative to the other selectively in either direction.

9. A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein each pair of telescopingpush-pull members includes a piston reciprocable in a cylinder underfluid pressure, and said poweroperable means is conencted to deliverfluid under pressure selectively to either end of said cylinders.

10. A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein each pair of telescopingpush-pull members includes a piston reciprocable in a cylinder underliquid pressure, and said poweroperable means is connected to deliverliquid under pressure selectively to either end of said cylinders whiledraining liquid from the other end of said cylinders.

11. In combination, an outboard motor comprising a supporting bracketdetachably attachable to the transom of a boat, relative to whichbracket the motor is pivoted on a horizontal axis to swing rearwardlyand upwardly relative to the rear end of the boat and relative to whichbracket the motor is also oscillatable about a vertical axis forsteering, manually controlled power operable means for tiltablyadjusting the motor and holding the same in adjusted position at aselected angle with respect to the transom of the boat, atilt-responsive switch tiltable with the motor and connected in serieswith the ignition circuit therefor and also the electric circuit for thepoweroperable means, whereby the motor is automatically stopped iftilted too far for continued safe operation.

12. A power tiltable outboard engine for boats, comprising a supportingbracket detachably attachable to the transom of a boat, a verticalstandard pivoted at its upper end on said bracket on horizontal axis, ahousing disposed vertically adjacent said standard and oscillatable on avertical axis with respect thereto carrying an engine on its upper endand a propeller driven by said engine on its lower end, a second bracketdetachably secured to said standard and having a rearwardly extendingarm rigid therewith, a third bracket fixed with respect to the transomof the boat and detachable therefrom, telescoping elongated push-pullmembers, one of which is pivoted at one end to the third bracket and theother of which is pivoted at its other end to said arm on said secondbracket, and manually controlled power operable means connected for theextension and return of said telescoping members relative to one anotherincident to the tilting adjustment of said engine and propeller housing.

13. A device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the engine has anignition circuit, and the manually controlled power operable means iselectrical and has an electric circuit, the device including atilt-responsive switch tiltable with the engine and propeller housingand standard and connected in series with the engines ignition circuitand the electric circuit for the manually controlled poweroperable meansconnected with the telescoping push-pull members, whereby the engine isautomatically stopped if the engine and propeller housing is tilted toofar for continued safe operation of the engine.

14. A device as set forth in claim 13, including means for shunting saidtilt-responsive switch to permit further tilting of said engine andpropeller housing.

15. A device as set forth in claim 12, wherein one of the pivotalconnections for said telescoping members comprises a shear pin, theshearing of which incident to an overload allows the engine andpropeller housing to swing freely with the standard on a horizontal axisrelative to the supporting bracket.

16. A device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the telescoping push-pullmembers include a screw element threaded in a nut element, and saidpower-operable means is connected to turn one of said elements relativeto the other selectively in either direction.

17. A device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the telescoping push-pullmembers include a piston reciprocable in a cylinder under fluidpressure, and said poweroperable means is connected to deliver fluidunder pressure selectively to either end of said cylinder.

18. A device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the telescoping push-pullmembers include a piston reciprocable in a cylinder under liquidpressure, and said power-operable means is connected to deliver liquidunder pressure selectively to either end of said cylinder while drainingliquid from the other end.

19. A power tiltable outboard engine for boats, comprising a supportingbracket detachably attachable to the transom of a boat, a verticalstandard pivoted at its upper end on said bracket on a horizontal axis,a housing disposed vertically adjacent said standard and oscillatable ona vertical axis with respect thereto carrying an engine on its upper endand a propeller driven by said engine on its lower end, a second bracketdetachably secured to said standard having two rearwardly extending armsrigid with the opposite ends thereof on opposite sides of said standard,a third bracket fixed with respect to the transom of the boat anddetachable therefrom, pairs of telescoping elongated push-pull membersextending between said arms and the third bracket on opposite sides ofsaid engine and propeller housing, one of each pair being pivoted at oneend to said third bracket and the other of each pair being pivoted atthe other end to the adjacent arm on the second bracket, and manuallycontrolled power-operable means connected for the extension and returnof said telescoping members relative to one another incident to thetilting adjustment of said engine and propeller housing.

20. A device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the engine has anignition circuit, and the manually controlled power operable means iselectrical and has an electric circuit, the device including atilt-responsive switch tiltable with the engine and propeller housingand standard and connected in series with the engines ignition circuitand the electric circuit for the manually controlled power-operablemeans conected with the telescoping push-pull members, whereby theengine is automatically stopped if the engine and propeller housing istilted too far for continued safe operation of the engine.

21. A device as set forth in claim 20, including means for shunting saidtilt-responsive switch to permit further tilting of said engine andpropeller housing.

22. A device as set forth in claim 19, wherein one of the pivotalconnections for each pair of telescoping members comprises a shear pin,the shearing of which incident to an overload allows the engine andpropeller housing to swing freely with the standard on a horizontal axisrelative to the supporting bracket.

23. A device as set forth in claim 19, wherein each pair of telescopingpush-pull members includes a screw element threaded in a nut element,and said power-operable means is connected to turn one of said elementsrelative to the other selectively in either direction.

24. A device as set forth in claim 19, wherein each pair of telescopingpush-pull members includes a piston reciprocable in a cylinder underfluid pressure, and said power-operable means is connected to delieverfluid under pressure selectively to either end of said cylinders.

25. A device as set forth in claim 19, wherein each pair of telescopingpush-pull members includes a piston reciprocable in an cylinder underliquid pressure, and said power-operable means is connected to deliverliquid under pressure selectively to either end of said cylinders whiledraining liquid from the other end of said cylinders.

26. An engine mounting system for mounting an outboard engine upon aboat, comprising: means for pivotal- 1y mounting an outboard engine upona boat for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis; a hydraulicallyoperated power device comprising a pair of cylinder members, a pair ofpiston members mounted within said cylinder members, and a pair ofpiston rod members extending outwardly of respective ones of saidcylinder members; means for mounting one pair of said piston rod andcylinder members upon an external portion of said boat for pivotalmovement with respect thereto; connecting means for pivotally connectingthe other pair of said piston rod and cylinder members to said outboardengine at a point displaced from said horizontal axis, said connectingmeans comprising a yoke pivotally connected at its opposite ends to saidother pair of members and adapted to be attached in encompassingrelation to a vertically extending portion of said engine; a hydraulicpump; and conduit means, including a manually-operated control valvewith manual operating means accessible to the operator of the boat fromthe boat-driving seat, for connecting said pump to said cylinder membersto apply fluid thereto, under pressure, to move said piston and pistonrod members relative to said cylinder members and pivot said engine,about said axis, between a lowered operating position and an elevatedstorage and repair position and to maintain the relative positions ofsaid piston rod members and said cylinder members and keep the engine ina trimmed operating position when said manually-operated valve isclosed.

27. For use in pivoting an outboard engine from a lowered operatingposition on a transom of a boat about a horizontal axis to an elevatedstorage and repair position, engine pivoting mechanism comprising a pairof hydraulic units each including an outer cylinder element and an innerpiston having a rod element projecting from said cylinder element,brackets for pivotally connecting one pair of said elements to thetransom of. a boat, a cross-piece including a yoke member adapted toencircle a drive shaft housing of an outboard engine, said crosspiecebeing pivotally connected at opposite ends to the other pair of saidelements, a hydraulic pump connected to each of said hydraulic units tosupply pressurized hydraulic fluid thereto to move one pair of saidelements relative to the other pair and thereby exert a force throughsaid yoke for pivoting an outboard engine from a lower to an elevatedposition, and valve means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fiuidfrom said pump to said hydraulic units to regulate the angulardisposition of an outboard motor relative to the transom of a boat.

28. A device as set forth in claim 27 wherein the hydraulic pump andassociated control valve means includes electric motor operated pumpmeans controlled by manually operable switch means for the delivery offluid under pressure to either end of the cylinders and drainagesimultaneously from the other end for the instantaneous positive tiltingadjustment of the engine in either direction or back and forth to adesired setting.

29. A device as set forth in claim 27 including means firmly resistingrearward swinging movement of the engine from a set position while theboat is in motion forwardly under power, said means being yieldablewhereby to avoid damage to the engine and/or boat in the event of thelower propeller end of the engine striking an obstruction.

30. A device as set forth in claim 29 wherein the yieldable meanscomprises a shear pin forming a part of the lower one of the pivotalconnections for said hydraulic units.

31. A power tiltable outboard engine for boats comprising a supportingbracket detachably attachable to the transom of a boat, a verticalstandard pivoted at its upper end on said bracket on a horizontal axis,a housing disposed vertically adjacent said standard and oscillatable ona vertical axis with respect thereto carrying an engine on its upper endand a propeller driven by said engine on its lower end, secondarybracket means fixed with respect to the outside of the transom of theboat and detachable therefrom, telescoping elongated push-pull members,one of which is pivoted at one end to the Secondary bracket means andthe other of which is pivotally connected to said standard, and manuallycontrolled power operable means connected for the extension and returnof said telescoping members relative to one another incident to thepositive tilting adjustment of said engine and propeller housing, thetelescoping push-pull members including a screw element threaded in anut element, and said power operable means being connected to turn oneof said elements relative to the other selectively in either direction.

patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,927,552 4/1957 Mickey 11541 2,966,876 1/1961MacWilliam 11541 1,172,176 2/1916 Stanley 11517 1,302,957 5/1919 Owen11518 1,801,781 4/1931 Parsons 11517 2,747,536 5/1956 Russell 115412,755,766 7/1956 Wanzer 11541 X 2,893,342 7/1959 Langford 115-412,997,014 8/1961 Puckett 11517 3,024,758 3/1962 Lieber 115-41 2,740,3684/1956 Irgens et a1 11518 2,815,731 7/1955 Curtis 115--4l 2,916,00812/1959 Bauer 11518 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner C. A. RUTLEDGE,Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 115--17

